Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-09-02
DRUG STORES ON SUNDAY.
SHALL THEY BE CLOSED AT CERTAIN
HOURS OR NOT?
Opinions of various Physicians in Rela
ton to the questionable Majority Fa-
vor the suspension of Unnecessary
Trade, but are Divided as to
Closing.

Considerable feeling as well as discus
sion has resulted from the recent adoption
of an agreement by the druggists of this
city to close their stores Oh Sundays eX-
cept at certain hours and in order to OBJ
tain the results of the plan the various
physicians were interviewed by repre-
sentative of this journal. Their opinions,
which differ to marked degree, are ap
pended.
DIR. CARPENTERS VIEWS.
DR.. Walter Carpenter said one view of
the case was illustrated Sunday when he
was called to see a patient, and found 1t
necessary to administer remedy which
owing to its volatile, nature, lie i'm
possible for Il physician to carry with
him or to keep on hand, and he spent
quite little valuable time before he
could find druggist aud procure what he
wished. On the other hand he liked the
idea of closing the stores, but suggested as
better plan than the one now followed,
that the druggists take some concerted &C
ton and one of them, each III its own turn,
open their stores the entire day on Sunday
and that the one to remain open snail
advertise that fact in Saturdays FREE
PRESS, or make it known in some other
equally as prominent Il way, so that peo'
pie and physicians may know just where
to 90. There would be a serious objec-
ton to this plan, however, as people from
the country often want a prescription re-
peated, and it would be impossible nearly
every time, to get into the only drug store
in town where it could be compounded,
as the original prescription is retained by
the druggist and it is only known by It's
number. He did not think 1t possible or
practicable for phsyican to keep on
hand remedies in case of an emergency.
OPINION OF DIR. BRIGGS.
DR.. Briggs expressed himself as in a
certain sense against the plan as now
pursued. He did not think the advan-
tages compensated for the disadvantages
of the present system. He is opposed to
druggists allowing Il crowd TO hang
around their stores on Sunday. He thinks
that if the present plan is made perman-
ent one the outcome Will he that another
drug store Will be established, under
charge OF woman of character, who VIII
not allow promiscuous loating, and that
the store will remain open at all hours on
Sunday for the accommodations of patrons.
DIR. LUND FAvoBs CLOSING.
DR.. Lund likes the present plan of all
the drug stores in the city.remalnng oEen
two or three hours at different times in
the day. The people are just as anxious
for their own druggists as for
for their own physician, hence he does not
think it feasible for the drug stores TO
take turns" in remaining open. He re
CARDS it demoralizng TO the community
for the drug stores to remain open all day
Sunday. 1t is possible tor a physician to
have on hand all remedies, or it is possible
to quickly procure druggist at his home
In case of emergency The hours that the
stores remain open should be we'll adver
tised.
DIR. GRINNELL WANTS OPEN DRUG STORES
II II 4
the closing of the drug stores on Sunday
is impracticable and does not meet the
necessities of the profession or the public
1t would be less incOnvenient to close them
any other day of the week than Sunday
So long as the physicians keep no medi
clnes it is absolutely necessary that drug
store can be found open day and night
every day in the week Should the drug
stores continue closed as they have for the
past few Sundays it will necessitate our
putting a stock of drugs in our offices
1t would be just as sensible for the med
ical profession to close their places OF
OF business certain hours of Sunday as
the drug stores. Instead of censuring the
drug stores for keeping open they should
receive praise from the public for afford
ing so great an accommodation. There
has not been Sunday since the closing OF
the drug stores began that the public
have not been inconvenienced and even
suffered. Any drug store which viii
put upon its door "never closed" is the
one that will merit the patronage of the
profession and the public. We have moth
ing whatever to do with lllegitmate OF
Illicit business claimed to be practised by
the drugs stores. There is law enough to
deal with that, but the necessity OF TIE
drug stores being open should oe apparent
to every one. | have no objection to the
front door of every drug store being CLOSED
and the curtains drawn, but we must have
the same opportunity OF obtaining adj
mission as is usually given during the
night. There should be some competent
clerk in drug store VINO can he sum
moned at any moment day or night ant
every day in the year.
DIR. BINGHAM ENDORSES THE MOVEMENT
DR.. l.. NJ. Bingham said that he had eX
perienced little if any difficulty from tn,
closing of the drug stores at stated hour
on Sunday and he thought it would worl
all right as soon as the community under
stood at just what hours the drug store
were Open They are open now in tn,
morning directly after noon and in tn,
evening to accommodate ordinary call
and in cases of emergency druggists coulC
be found at their homes as the physi
clans know where most of the druggist
live so that in such cases prescription
could be filled with little delay. Physi
clans have their hours arranged in abou
the same manner as the drug stores.ol
Sunday ana people manage TO ma III
usually. AS far as | have talked witt
druggists they are satisfied only they ma
turally want all other drug stores to clos
if they do. | asked one If he noticed
much difference in the volume of hi
trade and he said that he did not eXcep
in his candy and cigar trade. The physi
cann ought to be willing to put himsel
TO little trouble if it will help the publ
in any way and | hope the drug store
will continue to close most of the time Of
Sundays.
DIR. RUTHERFORD'S IDEAS
DR.. j. G. Rutherford said that the pla
had worked well so far. He though
there was no doubt that the druggist
had kept their stores open too many hour
on Sunday as the result of the sharp con
petition. As soon as the people learne
what hours the stores were to be ker
open there would be no difficulty. In case